Towrope



Jan. 15, 1929.

J. T. ATWOOD TOW ROPE Filed March 25, 1927 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES JAMES m. Arwoon, or RocKFom), iLLniois.

rrowior. i

Application filed March 25, 1927. Serial No. 17,314.

This im'cntion relatesv to towropos by which anything`l may be towed, and hae for its principal object the provision of an improved towrope. My inprovements are, however, especially intended for use in towing' motor Vehicles. t

It is well known that due to oecidents, motor troubles and other` similar lnishaps, motorists are put to considerable inconvenience und de ay briause of the lack of a proijier towrope. All sorts of improvised and maite, shift, tows are dcvised by' which the good Sainaritan motorist uttcinpts to tow his less fortimate niotoristle car to the near-est garag'e or out of the mud, us the caee inay be. A towrope such as contemploted by my inventiou maybe carried bir the average motorist along with his tool hit for these emernencies. To this end have provided 0 a to'u'rope so constructed as to be anply sti-one; and durable for the purpoee and adapted for quick connection to and disconnection from the most convenient parts of a car, such as the axle, Spring shaclde, buinperz eto. The fastenings for the towrope are designed so to prevent accidental disconnection find breakag'e while towing or getting underway. Thej7 are further constructed so as not to damage or iner the finish of the parts of the car to which they are adapted to be attached.

have furthor eiued to provide as a new article of inanufaeture a towropo of the character described which will he simple and easy to use and which may be produced economically and thus be within the purehas :ing` range of the average inotorist.

h'ly invention will. be better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying' drawing. in 'which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of u towrope enbodying my invention;

Fig. 22 is un enlarg'ed top view of the fastening at one end? showing it unfastened;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged scction taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. l;

Figr. Ll is a section through a nodified` fornof hook and Cable connection; and

Fig. 5 is an end View of the form shown in Fig. 4. i

The rope or cable 5 may be of any material end Construction suitable for the purpose. I have found, however, by experimentation, that by reason of the heavy strains that a towrope is subjected to. spe- -ially by rezison of the sharp and jerky pulls frequently encountered, a woven`` wire Vrope Cable is best suited for this purpose. Each end of the Cable is provided with a fastening means or device for connection to a conven` ient part of the car When pulling or towing. The cable, of suitable length, may be coiled when not in use, thus occupying but small space for carrying.

As shown in Fig. 1 the fastenings at both ends of the cable (the length of which is not shown) are of the same Construction. Each characterized by an end portion adapted to `he looped around a part of the car and fa-stened by means of a quick detachable connection toa ``hook on the Cable. The rifonstruction of these fastenings being alike, a description of one will suflice. Two fox-ms of hook and Cable constructions are howeve', shown, and these will be described separutely, referring first to that forn' shown in Fi 1 to3, inelusive. t

As shown infig. 2 the end portion G of the cable is turned back upon itself to form a loop or eye 7 and the terminal end 8 is iixed to the cable proper by suitable means. n this form the wire stands of the end 8, as well as the Cable proper at the pointat which this end is to be fixed, are separated or spread andithen intertwined soas to effect somewhat of a spliced connection. Soft metal is then poured in around the joint to make u peruanent connection. fitil this form of connection I prefer to use a. .socket part t) which is strung onto the cable, over the joint just described. The soft nietal 11 is poured into this socket part so as to fill all the interstices, as shown in Fg. 3. r

The socket part 9 is also utilized for securini;` a hook 12 to the eable7 to Which hook the i loop end 7 is adapted to be att-ached as shown This hook, integral with the in Fig. l. socket part 9 is sovshaped as to securely hold the looped end of the Cable and to prevent accidental displacenent thereof. To this end the throat of the book is elongated and the end 13 is curved or turned inwardly to provide a stop for preventing the looped end of the cable from slipping off of the hook.

It will be noted that the end portion of the Cable is doubled, so that When looped around apart and fastened to the hook 12 it is under tension tending to straighten out. This tendency or pressure of the looped end 7 outwirdly against the hook 12 aids in preventing accdental displacement of the looped end fron the hook. The end 13 in the form of a reverse Curve further prevents displaeeinent in the event that the looped end 7 should shift. Thus the fastening efl'eCtua-lly secured and there is little or no chance for it to become disconnected after having once been properly connected. It should also be observed that by making; the hook integral With the socketpart the end connection is brought Close to the Cable and to the line of pull, thus avoiding abrupt angles and any tendency to pull out of line. Furtherinore, by reason of this Construction, an. es] )ecially strong hool: or mounting therefor is provided, since the socket part is in effect a part of the hook and has a solid and substantial nounting on the Cable. lt Will also be observed that the double Cable at the end gives a Wider and stronger means for Connection to the Car or other object.

In the preferred ei'nbodinent of n'iy invention a suitable sheath is provided for holding,` the double Cable Close together exeept at the end. Any suitable means niay be provided for this purpose, although I prefer to einploy a sheath Which 'Will also serve as a protection to both the Cable and the part around Which the' Cable is to be looped, thus preventing mai-ring or sorapinfr of the finish of the latter.` As shown, the sheath 14 is in the forin of a length or seetion of rubber hose Which by reason of its fabricated, nulti-ply body serves very well for this purpose.

n Figures 4 and 5 I have shown another form of hook Connection, coniprising two parts 15 and 16, each having Cable soekets 17 provided with Wire scorings 20 in and between Which the Cable 5 and the end 8 are adapted to be claniped by bolts 18, as shown. The part 15 has forned integral therewith a hook 19 similar in shape and for the same purpose as the hoek 12 above described. il. lip 21 on each part 15 and 16 at the end fron Which the Cable 5 enanates7 prevents cutting of the Cable by Wear against this edge. This form of Connection does not require a core for Casting. Itvvill also be noted that the double Cable Will be given a quarter turn between the hook connection and its loop end When being` fastened to the hool; 19.

I Claini:

1. A toivrope conprising a Wire rope Cable one end portion of Which is turned back upon itself to form an eye, a fastening device for securing the terminal end of said turned back portion to the Cable body7 said fastening device hanfing` a hook over which said eye end of the Cable is adapted to Connect, the said hook having a reverse Curve Whereby to preii'ent aoeidental withdraival of the Cable eye fron connection With the hoolt.

2. A towrope conprising, a Wire rope Cable each end of Which is turned back upon itself to provide a double Cable loop enth opposed Clamping parts for each end of the Cable having niatched grooves in Contiguous parallel relation for the reception of the terrninal end of the Cable and the adjacent Cable proper7 fastening neans passingthrough both of the said clanping parts beyond the grooves for fixedly Clanping said parts to the interposed Cable portions, one of said Cla-inping parts l'aving; a hook forined integral thereivith in Close proxinity to the Cable, and a sheath for ca'ch end of the Cable enelosing and confining the double Cable bctxveen the clanping parts and the loop end leaving the said loop end open for direet re- Ception of the hook When passed around a .part to be connected.

In Wtness of the foregoing 1 allix iny Signature.

JAMES T. ATWOOD. 

